


Elegy for the Living

by thisbluespirit



Category: Indigo Saga - Louise Cooper
Genre: Aftermath, Community: 100fandoms, Community: genprompt_bingo, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29606946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisbluespirit/pseuds/thisbluespirit
Summary: Indigo may have more friends left in the world than she often dares to believe.
Relationships: Grimya & Indigo (Indigo)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2
Collections: Gen Prompt Bingo Round 18, The 100 Multifandom Challenge





	Elegy for the Living

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 100fandoms prompt #5 "away" and genprompt_bingo square "Winners and Losers."

**i.**

It has been over fifty years since Anghara Kaligsdaughter departed from Carn Caille the first time leaving an unbearable number of deaths in her wake. The Tower of Regrets, fallen and its demons released; court of the Summer Isles decimated with too few left to mourn. Her family, dead; her lover lost to a demon realm of pain. Anghara abandoned her claim to the throne, cut off her hair and changed her name.

As Indigo, she has travelled the world in pursuit of those demons of hers and defeated them one by one. It’s been the burden she’s carried until now, accompanied only by faithful Grimya. Unaging, homeless – how could she ever go back to the friends who helped her along the way? She tends to count them as dead, but in truth it’s not been so long after all. More of the world lives and remembers Indigo than she often dares to believe in a life coloured by grief.

**ii.**

No one who knew Indigo forty-five years ago when she left the Valley of the Charchad remained alive then, let alone now. But there’s life returning to the valley where nothing could flourish, only decay. Even in the hot, dry heat of the Western Continent, hardy plants grow close by the hardened lava. The roots of one twine around an old pewter brooch.

The mountains thunder no more and evil remains buried.

**iii.**

They hold an annual festival and thanksgiving to the Sea Mother in Simhara on the anniversary of the demon’s defeat; a day of both solemn remembrance in the temple and celebration in the streets.

Luk Copperguild, the city’s Takhan, finds it a bittersweet day even after twenty-seven years. Victory came with too many losses – Father, and despite everything, also Jessamin. He has not forgotten. He never will. He’s glad enough to have an excuse to leave the celebrations today, visiting his oldest surviving friend.

Phereniq finds it ironic she’s been spared so long. Sometimes she wishes she had not, but never when Luke is with her. She grasps his strong hand with thin fingers and thanks the Sea Mother for this unexpected haven for her sunset years.

“Over now, is it?” she asks, and they settle down together and talk of the things they never speak of on any other day. They talk of Indigo, and Phereniq shakes her head – it’s been so long – a mariner’s life so often short – but Luk says what he always says: “She’s alive somewhere. I know it.”

Afterwards, Phereniq tries her old skill, and does her best to make a reading for her long-lost friend. As ever, it never quite makes sense, but if her talents haven’t failed her, the Takhan is right again.

**iii.**

Fifteen years ago, Indigo bade farewell to the Brabazon Players and they’ve never truly understood why. Only two members of the family can even begin to guess true.

Every year they visit Bruhome for the Revels and are reunited with Chari, her burgher husband and their house as well as the caravans are filled with the family; a deceptive myriad of laughing, dancing children everywhere. 

Forth and Esty, though, remember what the others do not. They met a demon here twenty-five years ago, and they saw a side of Indigo none of the rest of the family ever did. It wasn’t hard to figure out that Indigo had met more demons than one. That perhaps she left to face another. 

Esty doesn’t say it aloud, but she wonders how many demons one person can survive, even Indigo with her strange powers and Grimya by her side. But it’s the nature of the Brabazons to hope for the best and not the worst, so dances to her southern sea shanties and pictures her living still.

**v.**

It’s been only six years since that terrible winter’s night in the Redoubt when the curse lifted from Earl Bray’s household. It’s not yet enough time to mend the shattered remnant of the family, but wounds are healing. Reif, Rimmi and Livian run the holding, and find what comfort they can, each in the others. The weapons on the wall no longer hold any doom and darkness has passed from them.

Now, summer is here, and Rimmi is to be wed to a neighbouring rancher, grief over Veness buried, and Livian’s pain can ease a little further, even if the shadow left by Kinter and Carlaze works will take time yet to fade. Reif takes gladness in that and pride in the knowledge that they have what they need to face the next winter. It’s been a bitter time, but he rebuilt for all of them, and for his lost brothers, for Brus and Veness.

He rides the perimeter of the Brays’ land and his mind returns inevitably to the one other who was present that night and is with them no longer. Indigo. When it does, he prays a blessing on her head, for all she told him he should not.

Many more summers and winters must pass before that will change.

**vi.**

Indigo left the Dark Isle not much over a year ago. Uluye may not have lost all her fear, but her people will not fall under that yoke again, not so soon, and she will do almost anything than lose their faith again.

Yima and Tiam, away from the lake of the dead, flourish as the living should.

Under the lake, deep in her realm – everyone’s realm in the end – the Ancestral Lady toys with an unexpected gift, a light that glows in the darkness. She has no need to wonder about Indigo’s fate, for she knows. Indigo’s last demon has been vanquished. There will be other demons, because that is the way of it, but Anghara Kaligsdaughter has learnt to face hers down and give them no power on the earth.

And the dead rest in peace.

**vii.**

Joyful Travail has not yet had a year for its people to accustom themselves to their new, whole selves; to puzzle out when to work and when to play. But the child within will not be denied: they dream, they dance, they sing, they spin tales. There is no going back.

Holland and Calpurna and their family knew another life before; they only wonder now at what odd compulsion seized them in these last few years. The Foreigner’s Quarter is always a-bustle with life and the people of Joyful Travail take lessons from their example, though they will never admit it.

Ellanu and Koru and their friends dance and play whenever they have the chance. And Thia – Thia has a dog of her own.

**viii.**

At sea, Indigo leans on the rail. She does not look back. She tried that once before, for her friend Macce, and came too late. She will not risk it again.

 _You could find out now, if you wish_ , Grimya says. _You could ask what became of our friends._

Indigo shakes her head. _No, my love._

It’s time to go forward, not back. She’s finally free to travel where she will; to discover how long or how short the lifespan she’s been granted will be. And here, taking a few minutes break from the duties of a mariner, she’s where she wants to be – with Grimya. No more demons. They’ll finish this voyage soon and find forests where Grimya can run as far and as long as she needs. After that there will be other voyages, other travels, new friends to meet. Perhaps in time she can help others to fight their own demons.

One day, maybe she will ask – maybe she will stop in Bruhome to glimpse a Brabazon performance – maybe she will visit the Sea Mother’s temple in Simhara and leave a net at her altar. One day, perhaps.


End file.
